Lupus (Erythematosus)

This is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune (the body is attacking itself) disease that affects connective tissue (tissue that binds and supports various structures of the body and also includes the blood). Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is a less serious type, affecting exposed areas of the skin and sometimes the joints. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is more serious, potentially fatal, and affects more organs of the body.

Lupus Symptoms

Symptoms vary according to the severity of the illness and which organs are affected. SLE may occur very abruptly with a fever and mimic an acute infection or it may occur very slowly over months and years with only several episodes of fever and fatigue.

Most people with SLE complain of pain in various joints that mimics arthritis, or in children simulates growing pains.

In adults, there is often a history of growing pains. Over time, muscular contraction may deform the joints.

Many patients have rashes on the face or other areas, such as the neck, upper chest, and elbows. In DLE, the rash starts as red, circular, thickened areas that leave scars, most often affect the face and scalp, and may cause permanent hair loss. In SLE, there is a characteristic "butterfly-shaped" rash that occurs on the cheeks and over the bridge of the nose. Rashes in SLE patients do not scar and do not cause permanent hair loss.

Ulcers on mucous membranes such as the mouth and nose are common. Rashes and swelling of the hands and fingers may occur. Sensitivity to light (photophobia) occurs in 40 percent of people with SLE. Other problems may

be kidney disorders, repetitive episodes of pleurisy (inflammation of lining of the lungs), pericarditis (inflammation

of the membrane surround the heart), iron deficiency, anemia, and pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure). Swelling of several or more lymph nodes is common especially in children.

SLE is classified as mild if the symptoms are mainly fever, joint pain, rash, headaches, pleurisy, and pericarditis.

It is considered severe if it is associated with life-threatening diseases. Mild SLE may respond well to natural therapies. Aspirin may be useful but in high dosages in people with SLE may cause liver toxicity. Antimalarials (used to treat malaria) may help in conditions where joint and rash symptoms are predominant.

Severe SLE requires immediate corticosteroid therapy.

Occurrence

Occurs mostly in young women (90 percent of cases) and in young children.

SLE is often chronic, with periods of improvement and relapse over many years. Sometimes there are years of remission in between periods of symptoms. Blood tests for antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and sometimes skin biopsies are diagnostic for this condition.

According to the American Rheumatoid Association there must be four of the following eight symptoms present

for lupus to be diagnosed: ANA antibodies in the blood, low white blood cell or platelet count or hemolytic anemia, joint pain in the number of joints (arthritis), butterfly rash on cheeks, abnormal cells in the urine, light sensitivity, mouth sores, seizure or psychosis.

Some drugs give a false positive test (looks like SLE): hydralazine, procainamide, and beta blockers. Sometimes these drugs produce a lupus-like condition that goes away when the drug is stopped.

Birth control pills may cause flare-ups of lupus. Treatments are aimed at decreasing symptoms. Allopathic

medicine does not consider there to be a cure for lupus, but naturally oriented physicians report "cures" of lupus